lemfhton



(No Model.)

w. H. LEIGH-TON. GARE STRIPPER.

No. 539,434. Patented May 21, 1895.

IIIIIIIIIILL NITED STATES PATENT nron.

WILLIAM H. LEIGHTON, OF COVINGTON, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ON E-HALF TOWILLIAM QUILLIASH, OF SAME PLACE.

CAN E-STRIPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,434, dated May 21,1895.

Application filed November 9, 1894- SeriaLNo. 52 ,306 (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. LEIGHTON, residing at Covington, in thecounty of Alleghany and State of Virginia, have invented a 5 new andImproved (Jane Topping and Stripping Machine, of which the followingis adesoription.

My invention relates to a machine for cutting off the tops of sugarcanes and stripping the same of the outer bark, and it has primarily forits object to providea machine of this character of a very simple andeconomical construction, which can be easily manipulated and which iseifective in its operation.

It has also for its object to provide a machine of this kind in whichthe stripping jaws can have their gripping tension quickly adjusted toset them in a proper condition for engaging difierent sizes of cane andin which the blading and stripping members are relatively so arranged,as to produce a compact but very strong machine.

WVith other minor objects in view, which hereinafter will appear myinvention consists in such novel features of construction and peculiarcombination of parts, as will hereinafter be first described in detailand then be pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in

0 which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved cane blading andstripping machine,

and Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof.

In the practical construction, my improved "machine is made entirely ofmetal, and comprises generally, a base portion whereby it can beconveniently and fixedly secured to a bench or table, a pivotedcuttinglever for cutting ofi the tops of the cane, a pair ofcompressible o spring gripper jaws adapted to grip'against the cane andstrip it as it is pulled there through, and a spring actuated gage orpressure device for holding the stalks down in close contact with thestripping edges of the said 5 jaws. Referring now to. the drawings inwhich like letters indicate similar parts in all the figures, A Aindicate a pair of longitudinally disposed base members, having footportions a-a apertured at a'-a' whereby they can be conveniently securedby the screws a o, to a bench or table B as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

0 denotes a cross bar which passes transversely under the front end ofthe base members A A, and is secured thereto rigidly by the bolts 0 O.portions extended upward to form the verti- This bar has integral sidecal ends co of a yoke like frame, the up- 1 'per cross beams o of whichis integrally connected by welding or otherwise, with the said ends c'-cand the end of e is extended upward and formed into a finger piece 0 fora purpose presently described. Upon the inner face of the member c ofthe yoke frame, is secured a fixed cutter blade D, see Fig 2, the 6 samebeing preferably seated in a recess in the saidmember, and securedtherein in any suitable manner, preferably detachably, so that it can beeasily removed when it requires sharpening, or to be replaced by a new7o cutter blade.

E indicates the movable cutter blade which is pivoted to the member o ate, normally held extended diagonally from the main frame as shown, itbeing moved normally to such position by the spring tang F which issocured at one end to the adjacent base members'A, and at the other to ashort link f, which is pivotally connected to the heel portion e of thecutting lever E, which portion merges into an angular extension e whichforms a stop to engage the outer edge of the said base member A, tolimit the outward swing of the lever E, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings.

The cutting portion proper E of the lever E is adapted to shear over thefixed cutter when the lever is swung inward, and such lever at apointabove its cutting edge has a stop e which engages the frame member0 0 and limits the inward swing of the said lever.

G G indicates the strippers, which consist each of a bow spring portiong, thelower ends 'g of which lap, rest on the cross bar 0, and fit on anadjusting bolt H, the head of which 5 securely holds the said ends 9'down in place on such cross bars, such bolt H passing through the crossbar 0, and having a screw shank on which is fitted the adjusting screw Iwhich is held tightly to its adjusted posiroe tions by the flat springJ. The upper ends of the spring portions g terminate in flat verticaljaws g g which extend up above the upper cross beam of the yoke frame,and are held with their gripping edges spring pressed toward each otherand against a stud a pro jected forward from such cross beam. At pointsabove and below the said upper cross beam the jaws have registeringconcave recessed portions g whereby passages g g are formed one aboveand the other below the cross beam, through which to pass the canestalks, and one of such jaws 9 (the left one) has an extension whichforms a thumb piece g as shown.

K indicates a gage or presser frame, which is in the nature of a crossspring frame, and consists of a rectangular body portion K, having upperand lower presser bars 70 70*, connected at the front by the verticalportion 70 which terminates on a finger piece R and a guide lip 75'which bears against the front face of the cross beam. The other end ofthe frame K merges into a stout flat spring K, which extends down on theoutside of the end member 0' and seats in a clip L fitting about thelower end of the said member, which and the spring are tightly heldthereon by the binding screw M.

The manner in which my machine is operated is best explained as follows:The cane is first laid straight in range with the topping or cuttinglever, after which it is grasped near the top with the left hand, andplaced with the tops between the cutting blades. The 1ever E is thenmanipulated by the right hand to cut off the tops. The operator thenpresses on the thumb piece of the left stripper jaw, with the thumb ofthe right hand and pulls on the finger piece of the gage frame. Thiscauses the stripping jaws to open and the gage frame to rise to allowthe passages g g to open to their fullest extent. The topped ends of thecane is then inserted from the front in either the lower or upperpassage as the size thereof may require (the passages being of differentsizes) a short distance, after which the jaws and gage frame arereleased, which allows the jaws to tightly grip the cane.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. l, the lower edges of the upperand lower cross members of the gage frame normally extend down over theupper portions of the passages. Hence it is manifest that when the caneis inserted in either of such passages the cross member of therespective passage in which the cane rests will bear with a springpressure down on the cane and force it down into the seat and side edgesof the passages, such arrangement serving to cause the cane to be themore effectually stripped as it is pulled rearwardly through thepassages.

The spring pressure of the gage frame on the cane can be readilyregulated, by the set screw N, which passes through a threaded aperturein a lug It on the rear face of the frame K, which screw engages the topof the cross beam as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The gripping pressure ofthe jaws on the cane can also be regutated by adjusting the screw IIwhich increases or diminishes the tension of the spring jaws as desired.

While I have not shown it in the drawings it is manifest that additionalgripping faces may be provided, having passages for the cane, as forinstance by extending the vertical portions of the jaws and forming suchextended portions with recesses to form the said passages.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it is thought theadvantages and operation of my invention willbe readily understood. The construction thereof is exceedingly simpleand thesame can be operated by boys,the cutting and stripping capacitythereof being such that a boy can accomplish therewith the work usuallydone in the ordinary manner by three men. The same is adapted forcutting all kinds of sugar cane.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine as described, the combination with theverticallydisposed gripper jaws having cane passages, of the springactuated presser gage having members extending over the upper'portionsof the passages and forced downward, whereby to compress the stalk intoclose contact with the edges of the said passages, all arrangedsubstantially as shown and for the purposesdescribed.

2. In a machine as described, the combina- IOC tion with the main frame,of the stripping jaws, formed of a pair of bow like spring members,having their upper ends formed into fiat gripping members, having one ormore recesses, forming passages, their lower ends held lapped, andadjusting screw devices connecting such ends to the main framesubstantially as shown and for the purposes described.

3. In a machine as described, the combination with the verticallydisposed gripping jaws, said jaws having passages for the cane, of avertically disposed gage or presser frame, movable over the front faceof the gripper jaws, spring pressed to its downward position and havingadjusting means for limiting-its downward movement all arrangedsubstantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. LEIGII'ION.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES A. MCCLUNG, S. S. CARPENTER.

